North Central buys home for its president

Campus expands by half-acre with new residence

North Central College recently purchased the home at 409 E. Chicago Ave., where President Troy Hammond will reside. (Gary Gibula, Special to the Tribune)

The campus of North Central College has expanded by a half-acre with the acquisition of a nearby home that will be designated the new president's residence.

School officials said they recently completed purchase of the property and house at 409 E. Chicago Ave., which lies at the corner of South Loomis Street and across the street from the college's Schneller residence hall. The 5,300 square-foot, two-story house will be the home of Troy Hammond, who on Jan. 1 became only the 10th president in the school's 151-year existence. Hammond and his family will move into the residence in May.

The purchase solves issues surrounding the Edward Everett Rall House, at 329 S. Brainard St., where now-retired president Harold Wilde resided during his 21-year tenure. Built prior to 1917, the Rall House was inspected by city staff and found to be in need of significant improvements to serve the long-term needs of the college. School officials said they will retain the house as a strategic location and to use for meetings and functions.

According to real estate records, the 409 E. Chicago Ave. property was purchased in 1997 for $419,000. More recently, it was put up for sale with an asking price of $1,999,900, which later was reduced by $100,000 before being taken off the market.

While college officials declined to divulge the final purchase price, they said several significant gifts, including from the sellers, factored into the deal.